Singapore Seeks to Increase Local Food Production with Rooftop Farming
2020-04-19
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1Singapore has announced new measures designed to quickly increase local food production, including rooftop farming.
2Officials in the city-state recently set a goal to meet 30 percent of Singapore's nutritional needs with locally produced food by 2030.
3The plan includes $21 million in government money to support local production of eggs, vegetables and fish "in the shortest possible time."
4The plans were announced as the worldwide spread of COVID-19 has caused shortages of many products, including food in some areas.
5Restrictions on population movements around the world have weakened supply chains and raised concerns about worsening shortages and price increases.
6Currently, densely populated Singapore produces only about 10 percent of its own food needs.
7Only 1 percent of Singapore's 724 square kilometers is currently used for agriculture.
8And production costs there are higher than the rest of Southeast Asia.
9Singapore's Food Agency says its goal is to raise local food production levels to make up for climate change and population growth that could threaten worldwide food supplies.
10"The current COVID-19 situation underscores the importance of local food production, as part of Singapore's strategies to ensure food security," the Food Agency said in a statement.
11Singapore officials have repeatedly told citizens that the city-state has enough food to get through the COVID-19 crisis.
12But they have decided to speed up the process of increasing local production to begin within the next six months.
13This plan includes efforts to identify alternative farming spaces, such as industrial areas and empty building spaces.
14It also calls for adding new technologies to improve farming methods.
15Officials said one part of the project aims to establish rooftop farms on public housing parking areas beginning in May.
16I'm Bryan Lynn.
1Singapore has announced new measures designed to quickly increase local food production, including rooftop farming. 2Officials in the city-state recently set a goal to meet 30 percent of Singapore's nutritional needs with locally produced food by 2030. 3The plan includes $21 million in government money to support local production of eggs, vegetables and fish "in the shortest possible time." 4The plans were announced as the worldwide spread of COVID-19 has caused shortages of many products, including food in some areas. Restrictions on population movements around the world have weakened supply chains and raised concerns about worsening shortages and price increases. 5Currently, densely populated Singapore produces only about 10 percent of its own food needs. Only 1 percent of Singapore's 724 square kilometers is currently used for agriculture. And production costs there are higher than the rest of Southeast Asia. 6Singapore's Food Agency says its goal is to raise local food production levels to make up for climate change and population growth that could threaten worldwide food supplies. 7"The current COVID-19 situation underscores the importance of local food production, as part of Singapore's strategies to ensure food security," the Food Agency said in a statement. 8Singapore officials have repeatedly told citizens that the city-state has enough food to get through the COVID-19 crisis. But they have decided to speed up the process of increasing local production to begin within the next six months. 9This plan includes efforts to identify alternative farming spaces, such as industrial areas and empty building spaces. It also calls for adding new technologies to improve farming methods. 10Officials said one part of the project aims to establish rooftop farms on public housing parking areas beginning in May. 11I'm Bryan Lynn. 12Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English, with additional information from Singapore's Food Agency. Hai Do was the editor. 13We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 14________________________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16supply chain - n. the processes involved in the production and sales of a product or products 17underscore - v. to emphasize the importance of something 18strategy - adj. a plan used to achieve a particular goal 19alternative - adj. different to what is usual or traditional